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June 20, 2006
A Thread of Blue
This is the hesped, the eulogy, by Rabbi David Singer, Karen's brother, delivered today, at Congregation B'nei Isaac, where Karen's father, Rabbi Philip Harris Singer, served as Rav for over forty years.
As a Ben Yachid, a son among daughters, and a Ben Zekunim, a child of older parents, it is a difficult, if not impossible task, for me to properly eulogize my father with whom I had such a special relationship. It is an even more daunting task given that my father was a master eulogizer, a skilled and spell-binding orator.
There is only one person who could, almost instantly, come up with the proper words and phrases to describe my father. Unfortunately, that person was my father, the Rabbi's Rabbi.
My father was an encyclopedic source of knowledge tapped by many Rabbis throughout the world -- on a daily basis.
Now we are at a loss.
Our teacher, mentor and friend, is no longer directly accessible. Fortunately, my father was a prolific writer. Hardly a day went by, even towards the end, when he was not busy writing Divrei Torah, commentary on Torah. In fact, it was less than a month ago, while so sick, that he mustered the energy and published an article in a distinguished Israeli Torah publication.
This morning I went down to my father’s study to look at various sermons that he had, in the past, delivered on Parshat Shlach. I found words so appropriate for him that I must thank him for leading me straight to this sermon delivered exactly twenty years ago.
At the end of the Parsha, (Numbers 15, 38) the Torah commands us to wear Tztizis, fringes, and to place in the Tzizis a psil techeles: a string of blue. How appropriate it is that in the end of the parsha of my father’s life, a proud wearer of techeles, way before it became fashionable, that the end of the week’s parsha is the mitzvah of techeles, the blue thread.
My father asks: Why is it that the Torah just commands the mixture of blue and white threads, and not the entire beged, the entire garment?
My father answers, beautifully, that the Torah is teaching us that G-d provides us with the threads in life, yet it is up to us to weave these threads into a beautiful garment—the garment that is life.
My father was given scores of colorful threads by G-d: he possessed an incomparable Gemara Kup, Talmudic mind; he had a wonderful sense of humor, and then there was his beautiful voice, once heard, never forgotten. In fact, I now hear his voice resonating in this very shul, I hear the prayers he recited every Yom Kippur at Kol Nidre:
Or Zarua Lazaddik Ulyishrei Lev Simcha.
Light is sown for the righteous;
and for the upright of heart, gladness.
My father had a warm, caring smile that will forever stay with me. He possessed great leadership skills. The list goes on and on.
My father took all these G-d given gifts, these threads, and wove a beautiful garment, a life dedicated to Torah, his family and his community. He had a never-ending love for Eretz Yisroel, symbolized by the blue and white.
I am comforted that I can escort him on his aliyah artza, his ascension to The Land.
This garment that he wove was a beautiful multi-colored tapestry.
My father never wanted to be labeled as a particular type of Jew. Although he was a proud Radziner Chasid, he felt extremely comfortable in the Litvishe, Lithuanian world. He was a devoted disciple of The Rav, Rav Soloveitchik. He felt as comfortable speaking at a melave malke in Boro Park as delivering the convocation at the NYC City Council. He served with honor on so many rabbinic boards as well as the board of school district 21. He could learn Torah for hours and then take a break and watch television with my mother.
His beautiful woven garment protected us, shielded, and educated us. I am so grateful for all the Torah that he imparted to me.
I will always cherish the three avenue blocks that we walked from home to shul and back. It wasn’t always filled with conversation, but it was always filled with love.
I thank him for taking me to The Rav’s shiurim when I was just a boy.
For taking me to a Yankee game although he had no real interest.
Most of all I will always remember Shabbos and Yom Tov. His beautiful Kiddush still echoes in the chambers of my heart and mind as do the intellectually rich conversations at the table, and then settling down with my father in his study, going over the Gemara that I had learned that week.
Most of all I treasure the memories of childhood, lying next to him in bed reading the Israeli newspaper, my father teaching me Hebrew, teaching me the proper love for Eretz Yisroel.
I can go on for hours detailing the friendship and bond that sustained us. Many times just a simple look conveyed so much. There was no need for words.
But now, we part in the physical world. And it hurts for I have lost the person who handed the threads to me, who taught me haw to weave the garment of life.
My garment is not complete and it will be so difficult to finish without his guidance.
I am comforted that waiting in Shamayim, in heaven, to greet my father are his parents, his in-laws, his beloved nephew Murray Lerer, his brothers-in-law Uncles Asher and Chayim, his beloved grandson Ariel Chaim, his cherished friends, and the thousands of people whose lives he touched.
Daddy, be comforted in the knowledge that the family will always cherish and perpetuate your memory; know that we will take good care of Mommy.
I know that I did not always treat you with the proper respect and for that and anything else that I may have done wrong, I ask mechilla, forgiveness.
I love you, and I always will. Lech B’shalom, go in peace.
Te’he nishamso ze’rurah bezror ha’chayim. "May his soul be bound in the eternal bond of life."
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Karen wishes to thank all Seraphic friends for your kind words of nechama, condolence. She is on her way to Eretz Yisroel now and will not have acess to a computer for a few days.
Posted by Robert J. Avrech at June 20, 2006 01:36 PM
Comments
Seraphic Secret is private property, that's right, it's an extension of our home, and as such, Karen and I have instituted two Seraphic Rules and we ask commentors to act respectfully.
1. No profanity.2. No Israel bashing. We debate, we discuss, we are respectful. You know what Israel bashing is. The world is full of it. Seraphic Secret is one of the few places in the world that will not tolerate this form of anti-Semitism. That's it. Break either of these rules and you will be banned.
The Rav sounds like a wonderful father. I hope your warm memories of him serve your family for generations.
May you be comforted amongst the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem.
Amen
Posted by: Betsy at June 20, 2006 02:54 PM
I have rivulets running down my cheeks -- "hot tears are cutting thick channels down my face" -- as I read David's hesped.
I'm remembering my conversations with Rabbi Singer last year, his playing Jewish Geography with me, and his smiling eyes as he shared his knowledge with me about numerous rabbis and congregations in Toronto with whom he was familiar. And I recall his words at last year's Yahrzeit lecture, and the adoration he displayed for Ariel, z"l, and the study of Torah.
The "techelet"/the image of the blue thread has figured predominantly in Jewish poetry and literature, I've noticed. Just as Rabbi Singer figured predominantly in all your lives.
May he rest in peace.
Posted by: Pearl at June 20, 2006 03:20 PM
"Hamakom yenachem eschem b'soch sha'ar availay Tzion V'Yerushalayim"--May God comfort you among the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem. And may we see the fullfilment of the prophecy: "He will destroy death forever, and God will wipe away the tears from all faces."
Mordechai
Posted by: Mordechai (Morty) Schiller at June 20, 2006 05:12 PM
ברוך דיין אמת
המקום ינחם אתכם בתוך שאר אבלי ציון וירושלים
Posted by: Ari Kinsberg at June 20, 2006 07:02 PM
Boruch dayan ho-emes !
I enjoyed hearing Rav Singer z"l over the years on the radio (the late radio station WEVD in the NYC area). He used to speak twice a week in the afternoon for circa fifteen minutes, in mammeh loshon (Yiddish), sponsored by Beis Tomchei Torah vizknei Yisroel (House of the Sages of Israel), 25 Willet street, on the 'lower east side'. He spoke a geshmake Yiddish. He used to give divrei Torah on the sidra of the week as well as learn sefer Tehillim, along with his regular pitch for support for the "zikeinim Rabbonim talmidei chachomim" who, as he said it, 'danken aych un bentchen aych far ayer breithartziger shtitzeh".
That era has passed, and now he has passed on as well.
Zichrono livrocho.
Posted by: radio listener of Rabbi Singer at June 20, 2006 07:23 PM
It just occurred to me to mention that on the radio he was introduced as HoRav Pinchos Zvi Singer. Some people may know him by that moniker and not realize who we are talking about.
Yes, the great Yiddish orator I wrote about above, is the same person eulogized in the main posting.
Posted by: radio listener of Rabbi Singer at June 20, 2006 07:32 PM
Hamakom yinachem otchem b'toch sha'ar avlei tzion v'Yerushalaim.
May you find comfort in this sad time.
Posted by: SIM at June 21, 2006 05:14 AM
This is beautiful. I'm very moved. My deepest condolences for your loss.
Posted by: Alice Bachini at June 21, 2006 07:31 AM
A very great hespid, because it spoke of Rabbi Singer as a Rabbi, as a man, and as a father. My wife often says that eulogies usually end up telling the audience more about the person giving the eulogy rather than the subject. I think this was a rare exception, or perhaps my wife is right and this eulogy told us that the younger Rabbi Singer is a very good man thanks to his late father's hard work and good example.
What I take away from Rabbi Singer's passing is that he seemed to be a great example to other Rabbis. For one thing, he really understood the importance of the Shabbat morning sermon and tried to help his fellow Rabbis appreciate that and deliver excellent talks as well. Too many times, I've seen Orthodox Rabbis approach the weekly sermon with reluctance, even considering it to be a "Christian idea," (which is crazy... I mean, where do you think the Christians got the idea for a weekly sermon, the Druids?). The ability to inspire and teach a congregation, even if many people in the audience are not learned or Yeshiva students, is a great skill indeed.
May Rabbi Singer's memory and accomplishments inspire as many imitators as possible
Posted by: Jake at June 21, 2006 07:40 AM
Baruch Dayan Haemes. Hamakom Yenachem Eschem Besoch Shaar Avelei Tziyon Veyerushalayim. May you only have good fortune and good news from now on and forever.
The hesped is beautiful, and left me with only one wish: The possibility of your publishing his writings and speeches, so that his memory may live on through our experiencing him anew.
Posted by: hmmm at June 21, 2006 07:47 AM
I told a friend about the passing of Rabbi Singer last night and he wondered out loud about possibly getting copies of recordings of his talks on Tehillim in Yiddish on the radio.
Does anyone have such recordings ?
Posted by: radio listener of Rabbi Singer at June 21, 2006 09:08 AM
Karen is unable to get to a computer now and express her gratitude for all the kind words of nechama, consolation, that have been written here. And so she has asked me to do that for her.
As for copies of Rav Singer's Yiddish recordings of his brilliant shiurim on Tehillim: I believe that we do have them on tape and this is an excellent idea. I will talk to my brother-in-law David about setting up a foundation to transfer the tapes to disc and then distribute the discs through Seraphic Press.
Thanks so muc!
Posted by: Robert J. Avrech ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.seraphicpress.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at June 21, 2006 09:36 AM
If I can, I would like to attend the burial, as I live in Jerusalem. Please email the details to me at chayyeisarah at yahoo dot com. Also, shiva information for anyone who will be sitting shiva in this part of the world.
May Karen and the whole family be comforted among the mourners of Zion.
Posted by: Sarah at June 21, 2006 10:51 AM
My wife and I were privileged to meet your lovely wife this evening at the shiva house here in Efrat. I'm deeply sorry it had to be under such tragic circumstances. I hope we can celebrate smachot together in the future.
Posted by: treppenwitz at June 21, 2006 12:52 PM
So sorry for your loss... I was moved to tears reading this straight-from-the-heart eulogy... What a special person Rabbi Singer a"h was... (Truthfully, I don't feel I have the right words to say, but did want to leave my condolences.)
Posted by: Sara (lurker) at June 21, 2006 09:07 PM